Ellen Datlow is a busy editor.
It takes only one look at her website (datlow.com) to figure that out. She’s been responsible for some of the best editing work of the last three decades and she obviously has no intention of quitting anytime soon. She is always working on a new project; she is always helping writers develop and readers enjoy new work.
In fact, today she has two books being released: Supernatural Noir and Naked City!
It’s the latter one I am focusing on for this article though. Naked City is an urban fantasy anthology featuring some of the best talent in the business. It’s gotten great reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist, and it just might be the thing for you if you like urban fantasy.
Here is a bit more about it:
In this thrilling collection of original stories some of today’s hottest paranormal authors delight, thrill and captivate readers with otherworldly tales of magic and mischief. In Jim Butcher’s Curses, Harry Dresden investigates how to lift a curse laid by the Fair Folk on the Chicago Cubs. In Patricia Briggs’ Fairy Gifts, a vampire is called home by magic to save the Fae who freed him from a dark curse. In Melissa Marr’s Guns for the Dead, the newly dead Frankie Lee seeks a job in the afterlife on the wrong side of the law. In Holly Black’s Noble Rot, a dying rock star discovers that the young woman who brings him food every day has some strange appetites of her own.
Featuring original stories from 20 authors, this dark, captivating, fabulous and fantastical collection is not to be missed!
To celebrate the release of Naked City, I thought I would interview Ellen who knows more about it than anyone:
5 QUESTIONS WITH ELLEN DATLOW
Shawn Speakman: You have won multiple Hugo Awards for editing. What is it about editing that you love?
Ellen Datlow: I love being partly responsible for the creation of a story that might not exist without my solicitation/prodding and I love working with good writers and getting them to write the best story they can.
SS: How did NAKED CITY come into being? Why do an urban fantasy anthology right now?
ED: Obviously “urban fantasy” is hot right now (see below) but what is currently dubbed urban fantasy is not what I’ve considered urban fantasy for the thirty years I’ve been editing. I deliberately wanted to show the wide variety of urban fantasy, that is: fantasy that takes place in cities. The types of stories written by John Crowley, Charles de Lint, and Emma Bull. The kinds of stories that Terri Windling published in her various original anthologies of the 80s. So I solicited some of the best writers of traditional urban fantasy and some of those better known for contemporary urban fantasy.
SS: What is it about urban fantasy that has hit such a nerve with readers that it has become the bestselling sub-genre of fantasy?
ED: Traditional urban fantasy has drifted into the realms of paranormal romance and paranormal detective stories. And series characters are very popular. I think the most popular use the same characters over and over and it seems that many readers enjoy that. I love the detectives, but am not interested in the romance.
SS: Putting you on the spot. Apologies in advance. Take your editing hat off. Out of the entire anthology, name three short stories that you really enjoyed as a reader?
ED: Sorry but that wouldn’t be fair to my contributors.
SS: NAKED CITY is in fine bookstores right now. Are there any plans for a follow-up sequel of some sort? And what are you currently working on?
ED: No. But if NAKED CITY does well enough and the publisher wants another volume, I’d certainly consider editing one.
Terri Windling and I have just finished editing a young adult dystopian anthology called AFTER that should be out in 2012. And of course, I’m working on The Best Horror of the Year volume 4.
There you have it! Love Jim Butcher? Naomi Novik? Patricia Briggs? Holly Black? And many other great writers? If urban is your thing or if you want to try it out and see if it fits, today might be a great day to pick up Naked City, edited by Ellen Datlow!
After all, it’s in fine bookstores now!
